Wanted
by Psyknife
Summary: FINISHED!!! Remy LeBeau is no stranger to being framed, but when he leaves the X-Mansion with no explanation Rogue decides to follow him. She doesn't know that she is being followed as well. (Also with Psylocke, Iceman, Wolverine, Jubilee, & Bishop!)
1. Lost

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters (excluding the character of Mama DuBoise) are property of Marvel.  
  
Wanted  
by: Psyknife  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
She doesn't know why she's here. A few hours ago she was warm and cozy inside   
the mansion known as Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters without a care in the   
world. Well, there was one care, and that's what brought her here in the first   
place. His name is Remy LeBeau, another student at the school. Seeing as how he   
has a lot of business of his own he disappears a lot, but this time is   
different. She remembers the look in his eyes when he left. Sorrow. He is   
usually good at hiding his emotion, he hides them from her all the time, but   
something happened. He wouldn't say what the person on the phone told him or   
where he was going, but she knew that he couldn't go alone. The X-Men watch out   
for each other, right? Then why was he so distant when he left? She took it upon   
herself to track him using one of the school's most advanced mutant tracking   
device called Cerebro. With the help of teammate, and telepath, Betsy Braddock   
she was able to locate Remy's whereabouts. She was worried because she had never   
seen that look on his face before. Well, except for when his wife, Bella Donna,   
died in his arms. She remembers that vividly because she was there.   
  
She is a strong woman and a gifted mutant who goes by the name, Rogue. Her gifts   
allow her to absorb the memories and powers (if they are a mutant) of anyone she   
touches with her bare flesh. Some call this a gift, but she considers it a   
curse. Because of this "gift" she has never been, and will never be, able to   
touch another human being. It pains her to see couples kiss and hold hands, and   
the graphic scenes in some movies don't sit too well with her either. Her powers   
make it even harder for her now because she happens to be in love with the man   
that she is tracking. Another effect of this "gift" is that she nearly killed a   
woman by the name of Carol Danvers (AKA Ms. Marvel) because she held on for too   
long and permanently absorbed her psyche and her powers. So, Rogue now wields   
the ability to fly and she has super human strength. Because of this gift she   
dresses very carefully, which mean she usually doesn't allow any skin (other   
than her face) to show, for fear that she may accidentally absorb someone's   
psyche. After all, she all ready has too many people running around in her head.  
  
She feels kind of foolish dressed so warmly here. Even in November it remains   
pretty warm in New Orleans. But no one seems to pay her much attention. She fits   
in well with the street mimes, artists, musicians, fortune tellers, and voodoo   
priestesses of the area. It's funny how she knows her way around the city   
so well. Then again, it's not funny that the reason why is because she retains a   
piece of Gambit's psyche. She felt like a fool kissing him like that. Just   
because it seemed like the end of the world in that moment didn't mean that it   
would be, obviously. Remy was in a coma for weeks while she tried to calm his   
thoughts in her head. Even after all she saw from him she can't seem to stop   
thinking about him, and worrying about him. His past doesn't bother her, after   
all, her past isn't so full of sunshine and lollipops either. All she knows is   
that she cares for him more than she has cared for anyone else in her life, and   
now she needs to find him.  
  
The moonlight glistens off of the freshly moistened pavement like sparking   
diamonds. The air smells of liquor, spices, sewage and rain. Couples walk hand   
in hand, taking in all the sites around them in this historic city. Rogue   
continues to walk toward where she hears a lot of noise and commotion. She soon   
finds herself lost in the bustling energy of Bourbon Street.  
  
The street is filled with drunken men and women, drag queens, hookers, and   
people who are looking for action. She tries pushing her way through the crowds,   
but that proves to be a difficult task. She can't get two feet without some   
drunken pig asking her to lift her shirt for some beads. As many times as she   
pushes by and screams "NO", there is another person further down the road that   
says the same thing. She is now completely aware of the fact that if you bare   
your chest you will get beads as a reward. Some reward. All around her are women   
flaunting themselves with a neck weighed down by purple, green, and yellow   
beads. Is New Orleans always like this? She thought to only expect this kind of   
behavior during Mardi Gras. Guess it's a party that goes on year round. No   
wonder Remy likes it here so much.  
  
She is disgusted by the way people are dressed; tight, short skirts, tight tank   
tops with no bras, feathered bowas, and even things of a more outrageous nature.   
Outside the clubs are pictures of nude women and certain graphic acts that you   
will see on stage if you go inside. She begins to feel nauseated. On a balcony   
above her she hears a woman screaming. She looks up to see a man and woman   
having sex on their balcony, in public! She feels so violated by the types of   
people that live here, or at least party here. The crowds of people start to   
make her dizzy and she feels as though she will go crazy.   
  
Just then she feels a hand clench her buttocks. She turns to face an older man with a   
big bottle of beer and an even bigger grin on his snarly face.  
"Hey, Babe," he belches.  
"Get yo' hand offa me ya pervert!" Rogue yells as she throws his hand off with   
almost too much force. He flies back against the wall of the club they are   
standing near and his beer bottle shatters on the ground.  
People nearby begin to circle around Rogue and the man, making it look almost as   
if they are at a professional wrestling show. They just stand there, booze in   
hand, and stare. This makes the man even more anxious and he lunges back at   
Rogue while making a beastly grunting noise. She catches his wrist and stops him   
dead in his tracks.  
"What the..." but before he can finish, Rogue smashes his own fists into his   
face.  
The crowds roar and, before Rogue can react, a riot begins. People are throwing   
punches left and right. Beer bottles are flying through the air, landing on   
people's heads or the on ground. You could easily cut your foot on the glass that   
is collecting on the ground. Rogue tries to dodge as many people as possible.   
Did she start this? No, it was that pig's fault. He shouldn't have grabbed her.   
Police sirens begin to get louder and louder, approaching from all angles. There   
are already some policeman on foot trying to break things up, apparently they   
called for backup.  
Rogue panics because she knows that everyone will blame her. Besides, she wasn't   
playing along with the Bourbon Street game. She didn't flash people for beads,   
so she is the outcast. Of course they will blame her. All of a sudden she feels   
a tight grip on her arm. She turns to see a familiar face, unfortunately the   
happy glare is returned with anger. Remy LeBeau starts to drag Rogue away from   
the scene. She tries to speak, but it is too loud and he is pulling her too   
fast. 


	2. Found

CHAPTER TWO  
It's quiet now and Rogue finds herself far away from Bourbon Street, near the   
banks of the rivers (if not for the wall keeping you from actually seeing the   
river). She sits on the side of a fountain that displays band members and the   
only sound that can be heard is the distant tune of a street musician's   
saxophone.   
"What are ya doin' here, chere?"  
Rogue doesn't know what to say. She is more embarrassed than anything. The fact   
that she started a riot still doesn't sit well with her.  
"Ah... ah..."  
"Well?"  
"Ah thought ya might want some help?" she finally manages to murmur out.  
Remy doesn't move, he stands aside and lights a cigarette. "What makes you t'ink   
dat I need help?"   
She sees the glare in his glowing red eyes. He doesn't look happy. She doesn't   
like to get this kind of reaction from him. She is finding it harder and harder   
to hold back her emotions. Even though she may be nearly unbreakable physically,   
she is not emotionally.  
"Did you hear me, Rogue? What are you doin' here?"  
She doesn't respond. She just turns her head to look at the shiny coins that   
have collected at the bottom of the fountain. Remy is getting impatient and he   
walks over to her and grabs her shoulders tightly. She can see deep into his   
eyes as he glares her right in the face. Then, his eyes change to show remorse.  
"You shouldn' be here, chere"  
He holds her shoulders a little longer while keeping deep eye contact. His grip   
is strong, but he knows that she could throw him in a second if she wanted to.   
He releases his grip and moves away from her.  
"Ah'm sorry," Rogue whimpers in a soft voice as her eyes gather moisture. "Ah   
didn't mean to upset you. You just looked... well... you... Ah thought ya might   
want help with whateva you were doing because.. and... ah, ah..." She begins to   
cry as she whispers out the last words.  
  
Remy turns to see her crying and his anger fades even more. He feels bad for   
yelling at her the way that he did. He drops his cigarette to the ground and   
puts it out with the soul of his shoe. He then walks over and sits next to her   
on the fountain. Neither one says anything. Rogue has her back turned away from   
him, trying to keep her tears hidden, while Remy leans forward with his head   
resting on his hands. After a while he slowly moves closer to her and gently   
puts his arm around her. He pulls her in closer and wipes away her tears   
with his two glove-covered fingers. He begins to stroke her hair and she buries   
her face against his chest.  
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, chere. It's not dat I don' want you aroun'. It's   
jus' dat it may be dangerous for you..." As he says this she lifts her face so   
that her eyes meet his. He takes a deep breath and continues," De person on de   
phone was my brother. He tol' me dat my father was dyin' an asked ta see me   
b'fore he pass'd on. He was lyin'. When I got here I found out dat my dad died   
two years ago. Nobody bother'd ta tell me."  
Rogue had deep sorrow in her eyes for what he was telling her. She knows that he   
wasn't very close with his family, but she also knows that he was more fond of   
his father than the rest of his family. She slips her hand onto his and he   
responds by taking hold of her hand.  
  
"My brother call'd me te come down here because der is a price on my head by de   
assassins." Rogue's eyes widen. "I guess dat dey wanted to collect..."  
"What!" Rogue breaks in, "how can they betray you like that! They're your   
family."  
"You should know dat your family can easily betray you, Rogue."  
Rogue's face dims. She remembers being betrayed by her father when he found out   
she was a mutant, and she remembers being betrayed by Mystique.  
"Where have ya been, then? Ah mean, if ya haven't been with yer family?"  
"I have a friend. Someone I always ran to as a pup when I was in trouble"  
"You must've gone there a lot," Rogue broke in with a slight smirk.  
Remy laughs and tightens his hold on Rogue. He pulls her in closer and hugs her   
with both arms. They remain that way for a few minutes, neither one wanting to   
move. He kisses the top of her head once, but he wishes more to kiss her cheek   
or her lips.  
"C'mon. We should go," Remy says. "You'll like Mama DuBoise, she's great."  
"Mama DuBoise?"  
"Jus' wait, Rogue. C'mon, we bes' be gettin' inside somewhere in case der's   
someone lookin' for me... or you." He grins and pulls her up with both hands.   
They begin walking to what they hope will lead to a peaceful nights rest. 


	3. Floozie?

CHAPTER THREE  
It was midnight in Salem Center, New York, but not everybody was in bed.   
Professor Charles Xavier, founder of the School For Gifted Youngsters, was   
awaken by a sudden sense of urgency. It felt like Rogue, and it seemed as though   
she needed help. He scanned the grounds completely and she was no where to be   
found. This highly disturbed him. Where could she be and what kind of trouble   
could she be in? In his mind he saw riotous acts that she may have been involved   
in, but the vision was a little unclear. Where is she? The grounds are quiet and   
there is no sign of a riot. He decided to go to the lowers levels of the school   
and use Cerebro to locate her.   
  
  
  
"New Orleans," he thinks to himself after using Cerebro, "what is she doing   
there." His answer becomes clear to him in seconds when he begins to pick up   
traces of another mutant nearby her... "Gambit." With his question answered he   
begins to exit so that he can figure out what to do next, when he senses   
something else. He was not the last telepath to use Cerebro. He was picking up   
leftover psychic imprinting from another one of his students.  
  
  
  
"Betsy?" he glares at her with strict seriousness.  
"I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't know what she was getting herself into.   
Honestly, she looked really distraught and I just wanted to help," replies the   
purple haired ninja.  
"I understand your intention, Betsy, but it was bad enough that Gambit left   
without a word. You should have informed me when Rogue left. She could be   
placing herself in a lot of danger."  
"I know, Professor. I am truly sorry."  
"I picked up a distress signal from Rogue's mind tonight. It seems to have   
dissipated as of late, but who knows what trouble she may be in now. Especially   
with Gambit at her side."  
"She found him," Betsy exclaims with excitement.  
"More like, he found her." He pauses for a moment to think. "I was picking up   
rather unsettled emotions from Gambit, he seemed to be generally scared about   
something. I think it would be wise to send a team to New Orleans to keep an eye   
on them in case of danger. You need not make them aware of your presence, but   
there may come a time that they would need backup."  
" `Your presence?' So you are sending me?"  
"You and a few others. Don't worry, Betsy, you'll be put up in a nice hotel,"   
Xavier says with not the most pleasant of looks on his face.  
"I wasn't thinking that, Professor. Do you think that a girl like me would   
require a nice hotel? I would settle for the Sheraton any day..." Betsy says   
with a playful smile, but Xavier doesn't take to her humor.  
"I want you to take Logan, Jubilee, Bishop and Bobby on this mission."  
"Well, isn't that an interesting combination," she huffs.  
"Go get ready," Xavier ignores her, "I will alert them to the details. You will   
leave in an hour."  
  
  
  
It's nearly one o' clock in the morning when the couple arrives at Mama   
DuBoise's place. It's a nice apartment located in the French Quarter. The   
apartment complex is accessible through a rod iron gate. Once inside there is a   
courtyard with lavish shrubbery and an iron fountain. Mama DuBoise's place is on   
the second floor of the complex.  
Remy tries to sneak in by picking the lock because it's so late. His actions   
make Rogue suspicious as to whether he really knows who lives here, but then the   
door flies open.  
"Remy LeBeau! Where have you been, young man!?" she says in a reprimanding   
voice. Rogue can't help but to smirk. "An' who is dis'? I tol' you I won't be   
havin' none o' your floozies in here..."  
"Mama! Stop," Remy interjects, as he is already embarrassed by her comment, "dis   
is my friend, Rogue, she's from de school I go to in New York."  
Embarrassed, Mama replies, "Oh, I am so sorry, child. I din't mean te call ye a   
floozie. You are quite a lovely young woman. Please excuse my temper an' come   
inside. I jus' can't keep an eye on dis boy, ya know!" Rogue smiles.  
The three go inside the apartment. The kitchen and the living room are in one single   
room that is only noticebly separated by the change floor type; carpet in the living room and tile   
in the kitchen. To the left are two bedrooms and the bathroom is to the right.   
Remy goes directly into the living room and plops down on the couch. Rogue   
remains by the closed front door uncertain of what to do. After all, she was   
just accused of being one of Remy's flings.  
  
"C'mon in an sit down, child. Now, he says your name is Rogue? Did I hear   
right?" Rogue nods. "You can call me Mama, jus' like lil' ol' Remy here does."   
She leads Rogue to sit in an empty chair in the kitchen area (which is only feet   
from the couch in the living room). "I'm gonna grab some blankets an' pillows   
for de couch. Be right back." She exits into the first bedroom.  
"She's nice," Rogue says to Remy after a moment of akward silence.  
"Yeah she is. She always helped me when I was young, providin' a place t'stay   
when family t'ings weren't goin' well."  
Mama re-enters with two pillows and a thick quilt, obviously home made.  
"I'll sleep on de couch, Rogue. You can take de spare room."  
"No, Remy. Ah can't do that."  
"Too bad," he grins.  
"Fine, ya pain in the butt." Mama smiles at Rogue's remark.  
"If you need anyt'ing please come ask me, child. I hope you are comfortable.  
"Thanks. Ah don't mean to be a party pooper, but ah'm beat. Night ya'll," she   
says looking a little more in Remy's direction, and she exits into the second   
bedroom.  
  
Mama watches her go in to the bedroom and then darts her gaze to Remy.  
"Mmm Hmm. She yo friend from school you say?"  
"Dat's what I said. Trust me, Mama, she is de farthest you are goin' to get from   
a floozie."  
"Oh, I wasn't thinkin' that. I was questionin' the `friend' part."  
Remy paused. At first he looked like a deer in headlights, but then a shy grin   
formed on his face as he turned his face in the other direction.  
"Uh huh. Dat's what I t'ought. You gotta crush on dat girl, don't ya? An' don'   
try to hide it from me, cause I can see right t'rough you, Remy LeBeau."  
"Okay, look Mama. Rogue is a mutant like me an' her powers restrict her from   
ever touchin' another human bein'"  
"So, you sayin' you only get crushed on girls you can touch?" Mama says   
sarcastically.  
"NO! I'm not sayin' dat. I'm sayin'," Remy stops not knowing what to say.   
Meanwhile, Rogue stands near her bedroom door listening to every word that is   
said. "I'm sayin' dat we're friends, an'..."  
"She not like other women I've seen you wit', Remy"  
"No, she's not," he says almost to himself in a moment of revelation.  
"Ya know somet'ing, Remy? You wouldn't know love if it bit you on de be-hind, an   
dat's a cryin' shame if you ask me."  
Remy looks up at her and makes eye contact, "Yes I would," he looks away,   
quietly, "an' I do."  
Mama stares at him for a second, " `Night, Remy."  
" `Night, Mama."  
  
She turns off the lights and goes to her bedroom. Remy puts the pillows in   
place, takes off his top shirt and lies face up on the couch. He stares at the   
ceiling with his eyes wide open. Then, he hears a door creek open and sees Rogue   
exit her room. She walks right by him and straight into the bathroom. He notices   
tears on her cheeks. Could she have heard him? He wonders. He takes one of the   
pillows and covers his face. He hears a toilet flush, the faucet run, and then   
Rogue exits the bathroom.  
" `Night, Rogue," he says hoping to get some kind of response from her.  
Rogue continues to walk to her bedroom and closes the door behind her.  
"What is your problem, fool," Remy, thinks to himself as he places the pillow   
back over his face. 


	4. Welcome to the Big Easy

CHAPTER FOUR  
"WOW! This is awesome!" Jubilee shrieks as they walk down the streets of the   
French Quarter.  
"Hush, child. You don't want to draw attention," Bishop remarks.  
"Cool it, Bishop. It's not as if a group like us doesn't already draw attention   
anyway," smirks Betsy to his remark.  
"She's got a point, Bish'" mutters Bobby Drake from behind.  
"Don't call me that, Drake."  
"Would you all be quiet, we're at our hotel. Try to act normal," Logan grunts.  
"Funny remark, coming from you, Wolvie."   
The hotel is a historic hotel located on Bourbon street in the heart of the   
French Quarter. It is pink in color and has rod iron fences lining the balconies   
which are decorated with many colorful plants. Things have started to settle   
down this time of morning.  
"They were here."  
"What?" asks Betsy.  
"I can smell them, but it's a few hours old. I can't tell exactly how many,   
though. Let me follow their scent. I'll find `em"  
"No, Wolverine. I am not picking up any sort of distress signal from either of   
them. They are probably resting, which is something that we should do as well.   
We don't know what kind of adventure may pop up on us around here," instructs   
Betsy.  
Before she finishes her sentence Bishop is on his way into the hotel lobby,   
followed by Bobby and Jubilee (who is in awe of the way it is decorated).  
  
After getting their room keys from a desk clerk that was intimidated by Bishop's   
size and Wolverine's appearance, the X-Men walked to their rooms with bags in   
tow. Jubilee couldn't help but to giggle at the way the clerk stared at Betsy as   
she walked away. Betsy just enjoyed it, it's not like she didn't know.  
"So, how'er we doing this?" asks Jubilee.  
"Well, I figured we do one room guys one room gals," answers Betsy.  
"Hows about I sleep elsewhere," says Logan, "I'll catch you pajama partier's in   
the morning."  
"Okay then, you boys take 213, and Jubilee and I will take 214. Now, get some   
rest and we'll meet later in the morning to discuss our course of action."  
"I couldn't have said it better, Bets."  
"Thanks, Bish'," Betsy teases, "Goodnight boys."  
Her and Jubilee retire to their room, though Jubilee doesn't look to pleased   
about it. Bobby and Bishop do the same. Logan finds a place to rest elsewhere,   
but everyone knows that he can hold his own. 


	5. Morning routines?

CHAPTER FIVE  
The dawn came earlier than anyone would've liked. The sun shined brilliantly on   
the pavement, which was already bustling with activity. One person that was   
already out and about was Logan, a.k.a Wolverine. He is, sort of, the brute of   
the X-Men. He doesn't like to take "no" for an answer, and he prefers to do   
things his own way. That is why he is already up while the rest of his team   
remain in bed. He had checked on them earlier this morning, but he thought that   
it would be more fun to explore the city by himself. He walked all morning   
around the French Quarter. He walked from Bourbon Street towards the river and   
he ended in Jackson Square. There, he observed the many street artists, mimes,   
musicians, and palm readers. They all had their areas sectioned out all around   
Jackson Square, which was also inhabited by many stray cats. He decided to walk   
back into the streets of the French Quarter after a while.   
  
It is now around ten in the morning. Logan is walking up Royal Street when he   
notices something near the intersection of St. Philip. There is police tape   
bordering a building that appears to have been broken into the night before.   
Police are investigating the area and Logan overhears that the shop keeper had   
been murdered. The store is a jewelry store, at least it was. Now most of it's   
most precious jewels are gone. Logan would've kept walking by if he hadn't heard   
them speak a name that was familiar, "Remy LeBeau, of the Thief's Guild." That   
perked up his attention in a second. Logan decides not to walk on and he   
approaches the main police officer.  
"What was that about Remy LeBeau, Bub?"  
"It's official police business, please move on."  
"What if I told you that I may know where he is?"  
The police officer turns to Logan, "What was that?"  
"I may know where he is, but you have to tell me what he has done."  
"Come over this way," the police officer leads Logan away from the other   
officers. "We have a surveillance tape of him breaking into this store last night   
around one in the morning. Unfortunately for the clerk he lives upstairs and   
heard a commotion, and that cost him his life. This Remy guy is already wanted   
for the murder of a woman named Bella Donna of the Assassins Guild. That report   
was filed about a week ago and we've been looking for this guy ever since."  
Something doesn't seem right to Logan. He saw Bella Donna die in Remy's arms,   
and then he remembers hearing about her being brought back to life with no   
memory of her past. Would he have killed her now? Logan wasn't even sure that   
she was brought back to life, he had just heard about it. Also, if Remy had   
broken into this store last night he wouldn't have killed anyone, unless someone   
had manipulated his mind. Logan knew that Remy could be a jerk sometimes, but he   
would never intentionally kill somebody.  
"So, buddy, are you gonna tell me where this guy is or not?"  
  
  
  
  
Remy woke up around ten o' clock in the morning, thanks to the frantics of Mama   
DuBoise.  
"Remy! She's gone! She's not in her room!"  
"What!?  
"I woke up around eight in de morning and I t'ought dat she was still asleep,   
but when I din't hear anyt'ing for hours I went to check on her and she wasn't   
der!"  
Remy didn't have to hear anymore. He got up and grabbed his shirt and was out   
the door before Mama could say anything more.  
  
  
  
  
Rogue was having an okay time by herself in Jackson Square, though she never   
crossed paths with Logan. She had somehow gotten suckered into getting her palm   
read. The thing that made her curious was that the man had already put on a pair   
of gloves as she started approaching him.  
"I don't want you to suck away my energy now, do I?"  
"Ah'm sorry, do ah know you?"  
"Nope, but I know about your powers. You can call me Jaques."  
"Thank you..."  
"Now, let me see, Rogue, right?" she was silently amazed. "You have very very   
nice lines here on your palm. Your life line looks good and long, which is good   
for your line of work. I see that your heath will remain... ooo..."  
"What?"  
"It's nothing, I thought that I had seen something here, but I didn't. Now,   
let's see your romance line. It curves up a little here, which mean that you are   
a very passionate person, but that you are shy about your emotions. You have a   
few relationship lines, not too many. See this one, it's the longest."  
"What does that mean?"  
"It means that this is the person that was meant for you."  
"The person... what person? Who is he?"  
Just then from a short distance away...   
"ROGUE! What are you doin', girl. You had me worried sick by not bein' der dis   
morning."  
"Remy! Ah'm sorry, ah didn't mean ta scare ya. Ah just needed some time by   
myself... to get something offa my mind."  
"Well... what are you doin'? Gettin' your fortune told? C'mon Rogue, don' let   
dese guys fool you."  
"No Remy, just let me finish, ah..."  
Then another person approaches them, someone they didn't expect to see at all.  
"We need to talk."  
"LOGAN?" 


	6. Out of the ordinary

WANTED chapter six  
  
"Gambit!"  
"Remy!"  
"Damn it!"  
Logan grabs Rogue before she can get away and run after him.  
"Let him go, darlin'. It's for the best. He needs to work things out for   
himself."  
"What the heck is goin' on! Ah know that he's innocent, I was there last night,   
at Mama DuBoise's apartment. Ah know that he was there too. He couldn't a done   
it!"  
"Nevertheless, Rogue, he is accused of it. I say that we let him go for now.   
He'll be okay, and if something happens we'll be there to back him up. While he   
does his work we need to go do some of our own. I know that he's innocent cause   
I didn't pick up his scent anywhere near the crime site. Although I did pick up   
a familiar scent, but I can't place it right now. But I know I've smelt it   
before."  
"Someone we've fought before?" asks Rogue.  
"Yeah, but I don't know who. Let's go meet the others and work this riddle out   
for ourselves."  
"Others! Who! You didn't tell me that more people were here Logan! Who'd ya   
bring ya rat!"  
"Calm down darlin'. We came for your own good, and it turns out that you may   
need us. I have Betsy, Bobby, Bishop and Jubilee here. They should still be at   
the hotel."  
"Ah don't believe it. Why didn't you trust me ta go by myself! How did ya'll   
even find me!"  
"Xavier read Betsy's psychic residue on Cerebro, then he used it to track you."  
"Well... of all the low down..." she then stops and regains her composure.   
"Well, there's nothing ah can do now anyway. Remy's run off and ya already have   
the bandwagon here, let's just go."  
With that they turn and head back to Bourbon street to find the rest of the   
team. Before they had even walked a block they see Bobby run across the street   
before them.  
"Hey! Bobby!"  
But he doesn't stop or even look in their direction. He just keeps running.  
"What the... why didn't he stop."  
Rogue and Wolverine run to the corner and turn to look for him but they see no   
traces of him at all.  
"Something's fishy. I'm not picking up his scent. I don't think that was Bobby,   
but why would someone be traipsing around the city with his likeness?"  
  
  
  
  
Rogue and Wolverine arrive at the hotel about ten minutes later to see Bobby   
standing on the front porch.  
"Well, Wolverine, it's about time you came back. We've been waiting for you all   
morning. Where's Gambit?"  
"He ran off after I told him about what I saw this morning."  
"What did you see?"  
"He's wanted for murder."  
"Shit."  
Bobby doesn't know what else to say. He wishes he could find some words of   
comfort for Rogue, because, after all, they have been friends for a really long   
time. He can see the pain in her eyes, almost as if she could cry if she let   
her defences down. At that moment Betsy comes walking out to greet them. She runs   
over to Rogue and gives her a hug.  
"I am so sorry that the professor found out, but I couldn't deny him after he   
told me to bring a team down here to find you."  
"It's okay, Betsy. Ah'm over that now. Ah just want to go find Remy. He ran off   
this morning."  
The rest of the team comes out and Wolverine explains to them his findings for   
the morning. They all look grimly upon what he had found out. They are at   
least relieved to know that Logan never intended on blackmailing Remy as the   
policeman believed. Then he explains to them about how they saw Bobby on their   
way back.  
"I've been here all morning," replies Bobby to this statement.  
"I know you have, because I didn't pick up your scent anywhere around there."  
"Something is going on here that none of us know about, and I fear that Remy may   
be at the center of this. We need to decide our next move and make it before   
it's too late."  
Betsy has a strange look in her eyes. She tries scanning the area but picks up   
nothing out of the ordinary, for the moment. 


	7. Foiled Plans

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
She can't believe what she's gotten herself into, nevertheless, Jubilee runs   
down the street doing what she promised. She remembers their discussion this   
afternoon - it was decided that Logan, Psylocke, and Rogue would check out the   
crime scene to help prove Remy's innocence. The only problem whas that the place   
was still swarming with cops. So, a diversion needed to be created. That was   
left up to her, Bobby and Bishop. She runs down the street towards the crime   
scene with rain pouring in her face. She wishes that she was back in her warm   
hotel room about now, but she knows that she is an X-Man and it is her duty to   
help out her friends. She races to the jewelry shop to warn the police of a   
crime in progress (thanks to the help of Bobby and Bishop). She gets close   
enough to the shop and the cops see her.  
"Help! Help me! There's a robbery down the street & my kid sister's in the   
building!" she screams.  
"Hold on there a minute, little lady. Aren't you out past your curfew?"  
"Please! I'm not lying! You have to come help me!!!"  
The cop eyes Jubilee for a moment and she looks generally scared, so he agrees   
to go. The three cops follow Jubilee away from the scene and Psylocke, Wolverine   
and Rogue slip into the shop unnoticed.  
  
  
  
  
Jubilee and the three cops hurry towards Jackson Square when their attention is   
diverted. Jubilee looks to her right and on the chapel steps she sees a familiar   
figure.  
"Gambit!" she thinks, "Damn it!"  
She doesn't say anything, hoping the police will pass him by, but it doesn't   
work.  
"Hey! Hey you!" the police chief yells at Remy.  
Before anyone can think, Remy darts off and Jubilee races behind him as fast as   
possible. The police are left behind, dumbfounded, and they make some calls on   
their radios before heading after them on foot.  
  
  
  
  
They are almost back to Bourbon street when Remy finally slows down.  
"Remy! Gambit! Stop, it's me!" Jubilee yells. But Remy seems to disregard her.  
He slips into the alley way and she follows. The alley is a dead end, but when   
Jubilee enters it she sees no sign of Remy. There is just a homeless man   
sleeping in the corner by a dumpster.  
"Where did he go?" she thinks.  
  
  
  
  
Back at the jewelry shop the three team members search and scour for whatever   
they can, but they come up with nothing. There is nothing left in the shop to   
prove that Remy did do it or didn't do it.  
"Sorry, darlin'. I don't know what to do."  
"It's okay, Logan. Something will come up. Ah know it will."  
Feeling defeated Rogue collapses against the corner wall when she hears Betsy   
say a familiar name.  
"Mystique."  
"What?"  
"Mystique has been here, Rogue. I can still sense her presence, it's not that   
old."  
"So you're sayin' that she's the one that did this?"  
Rogue looks very upset, because even though she was betrayed by Mystique she   
still cares about her, and she doesn't know why she would want to frame Remy.  
"We need ta find her. Ah can talk to her an' see what's up."  
"Oh no!" Betsy yells as if something terrible just appeared in her head.  
"What is it Bets?" says Wolverine, releasing his claws.  
"It's Bobby and Bishop, they're in trouble! What happened to Jubilee, I thought   
she was supposed to lead the police away, not directly to them. I'll go get   
them, you stay here and continue searching." And with that she disappears into   
the shadows, only to reappear across the city near Bobby and Bishop.  
"I'll go look fer the kid, Rogue. You stay here."  
"Wait, Logan, ah..." but before she can finish Logan is out the door and down   
the street. 


	8. The Imposter

WANTED Chapter 8  
  
The scene that Betsy sees when she comes out of the shadows is one that she would've rather not. Five police cars surround Bobby and Bishop. Bobby is in handcuffs and Bishop is fighting to get him free. There is fierce battle between him and the policemen. Bishop could easily knock them all out, but he knows that the should not actually hurt anyone. Betsy remains to the side and uses her psychic powers to make her appearance change (in the eyes of everyone there, at least) to that of a New Orleans police officer.  
"What's going on here?" she asks a nearby police officer.  
"Arrest. They caught the guy who robbed the convenient store this morning. His friend is causing a lot of trouble though."  
Betsy looks startled at this statement. Why do they think that Bobby robbed the convenient store? Then it hits her. She remembers how Logan and Rogue said they saw Bobby in the French Quarter this morning, and she just recently sensed the presence of Mystique. But why would Mystique be framing Bobby?  
  
  
  
Having been left on her own, Rogue decided she is not going to give up. Something just isn't right. Remy is accused of murdering Bella Donna, robbing a jewelry store, killing the clerk, and now she has news that Mystique was here. And still is...  
"Rogue."  
Rogue jumps because she thought that she was alone.  
"M... Mystique?"  
She sees a dark figure with blue skin and red hair appear in the doorway. Mystique is dressed in black, which is probably why Rogue didn't see her at first.  
"What the hell are ya doin' here?" she asks.  
"Perhaps I should be asking you the same question." Mystique replies, "You're putting your nose in where you shouldn't. Go home, Rogue, or I'll be forced to make it look like you committed a crime to so that you don't follow me."  
"What in blazes do ya mean by that?"  
"I'm sure you'll find out as soon as your teammates can get Iceman out of prison."  
"What the hell are ya trin' ta pull here, Mystique!"  
"None of you should be here! No one should get in the way when dues are still owed!"  
  
Dues? Rogue tries to decipher what this means, but Mystique continues...  
"I don't want you to get hurt, Rogue. Go home. Forget about Remy. His fate is sealed."  
"By who!!!"  
Mystique gets closer to Rogue and says, almost in a whisper, "Apocalypse."  
Rogue looks shocked at this. Mystique grabs Rogue's arm and leads her to the door.  
"Now, go. Get out of here! You can't help him and neither can I! I have been trying to make this as painless as possible. Even though I could care less about him I know that you do. But you have to forget that now. Leave here, Rogue.  
"NO!"  
Rogue pushes Mystique to the floor and plans to attack her, but she can't. She stands up straight and looks at Mystique with a deep expression of sorrow, helplessness, and hatred. Once again she is being betrayed by the woman that she used to look up to as a mother. Mystique had taken Rogue in when no one else would. She still cares for Rogue, but they fight for different sides now. She can't stand to see Rogue in such a state, not now. Not when both of their lives are at stake.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rogue. I have to do this because I am still in debt too. I have to take Gambit to Apocalypse. He's sick of playing games. He's sick of Gambit hiding for protection with Xavier. He'll kill me too if I don't follow through. I thought it best to make him leave the X Mansion. For you sake..."  
Rogue just stares at her. Why is she being so nice? Does she really feel this way or is she trying to manipulate Rogue into letting her go?  
"So, how the heck many people are ya payin' ta pull this off, Mystique?"  
"Why do you think I stole the jewels? The Assassins Guild hates him anyway. They'd be happy to put out a warrant for his death even if I hadn't given them money."  
"Why did ya kill the shopkeeper?"  
"He was a psychic! He saw right through my disguise!"  
The pieces were starting to fit together for Rogue. Mystique owes a debt to Apocalypse, so she was sent to collect Remy because he had run away from Apocalypse years ago. To try to hide the abduction she dragged him down to New Orleans so that the X-Men wouldn't get involved (or so she thought). She paid the Assassins Guild with the jewelry she has stolen from this jewelry shop and they put out a warrant for Remy's arrest and death saying that he had killed Bella Donna (when they knew very well that she was still alive). The police don't know any better when it comes to the affairs of the Guilds, so they believed them (perhaps they were being given a sum of money as well?). There was just one thing...  
"What about Remy's brother. How did ya convince him to betray Remy?"  
"You're foolish Rogue. Haven't you caught on to my tricks yet. Remy's brother never called him, and when Remy went to the Guild House he was not greeted by any of the Guild. He was greeted by me, his "brother".  
As Mystique says this she begins to reach in vain to find her gun. Rogue is pushed over the edge by Mystique's evil cunning and, before she can stop herself, she finds herself clutching Mystique's bare shoulders with her bare hands. She can feel all of what Mystique had just told her floating into her own memory, she can feel Mystique's fear and hatred flowing into her personality, she can feel Mystique's powers become one of her own.  
Feeling her own thoughts within, Rogue decided to go set things right and she leaves Mystique's motionless body lying on the floor. Hopefully for the police to find. 


	9. Dilemma

WANTED Chapter 9  
  
Wolverine runs down Royal Street after Jubilee's scent. He is nearly blinded by the heavy rainfall at this point. He reaches Jackson Square when he sees a small figure racing toward him.  
"Wolvie!"  
Jubilee runs up to him, panting and gasping for air.  
"Wol... ver... rine... I... saw... I..."  
"Slow down there, darlin'. Catch your breath first."  
After a brief moment Jubilee could breath well enough to speak, though it was still a little jumbled.  
"I saw Remy! Here. A little while ago. I ran after and the police followed, but then we were in an alley and Remy was gone and there was a homeless man, police, lost in Bourbon Street crowds, got away!"  
She was speaking so fast that Wolverine really had to listen. It's a good thing that he is used to figuring out what Jubilee was saying when she spoke like this.  
"You saw Remy?"  
She nods.  
"You followed him?"  
She nods again, obviously getting impatient.  
"He ran into an alley , but when you got there he was gone and all you saw there was a homeless scmuck?"  
"YES!"  
"How long did you linger there?"  
Jubilee can tell that he's up to something now.  
"I had to jet. I didn't want the coppers to find me!"  
Wolverine had developed a look in his eyes. Jubilee recognizes this look to be the look that he gets when he's trying to pick a clue; figure something out.  
"C'mon, kid"  
He grabs her arm and starts to drag her back toward the jewelry shop.  
"Wha'!?"  
"That wasn't Gambit and that wasn't no homeless guy."  
  
  
  
Betsy had been trying to figure out what to do for about ten minutes now. It's a good thing that Bishop has been putting up such a good fight. She is about to try something drastic (using her powers) when she hears breaking glass and screams coming from down the street. She notices that other people are beginning to hear it as well. The police's attention begins to waver towards the noise and Betsy uses this opportunity to use her powers to make them all forget about Bobby and Bishop, and to focus all of their attention on going to find out what all the noise is about. She learns a little too late that this may have not been the best of ideas. 


	10. Barricaded

WANTED Chapter 10  
  
Wolverine and Jubilee hear the noises coming from the direction in which they are heading. They come back in view of the jewelry shop and see something that they really didn't want to see.  
"What the hell are you doin' Cajun!" yells Wolverine.  
There is Remy. He's standing in the road, drenched from head to toe, and throwing furniture that he got from inside the jewelry store through it's windows. Gambit just glares at Wolverine after this comment and continues with that he's doing.  
"What should we do!" Jubilee asks panicky.  
Logan starts advancing on Gambit with his claws unsheathed when...  
"Wait a minute," Logan thinks to himself as he gets closer, but his thoughts are quickly interrupted.  
"FREEZE!"  
Jubilee and Wolverine quickly realize that Gambit and them are surrounded with police who have their guns ready to fire. Jubilee glances behind the police barricade to see Betsy, Bobby, and Bishop run up. Betsy could not have felt any worse at that moment.  
  
  
  
No one makes a move, at first. The amounts of police force if overwhelming. Then Gambit decides to do something rather foolish and stupid.  
"So, ye found me, eh? Dat's what you t'ink!"  
He takes the broken chair leg by his feet and hurls it at the nearest police car.  
"Remy!" shouts Jubilee in terror.  
"OPEN FIRE!"  
At this moment Jubilee can feel herself being whisked to the ground by Wolverine to get out of the way. Psylocke, Iceman, and Bishop watch in horror as they see their friend and trusted teammate crash to the ground after being pelted with what seemed like hundreds of bullets. Betsy glances behind where all the action is taking place to see a very weak Mystique in the doorway of the jewelry shop. Mystique is looking at Gambit on the ground with a look that seems to be a combination of satisfaction and fear. She quickly changers herself into a small bird and flies away from the scene. Betsy had tried to read her mind, but Mystique's psychic print was not very strong at the moment.  
There is a dead silence all around as the police stop firing. No one moves.  
Tears begin to well up in Jubilee's eyes as she stares straight ahead of her on the ground. She apparently doesn't notice that the puddles around Remy's body show little evidence of blood.  
"NOOOO!!!!!!"  
Wolverine has to grab her tight around the waste to keep her from running to Remy's side. Bishop has his head lowered and Bobby is standing with a silent look of shock on his face. He glances over to Betsy only to notice that a slightly distinguishable smirk has formed on her face. 


	11. Resolution

WANTED Chapter 11  
  
"PUT THOSE WEAPONS AWAY!" shouts a voice that is running up to the scene.  
Everyone turns around and the policemen all recognize their police Chief.  
"It's too late, Chief, we got him already," says one of the policemen.  
"What the...?" says the Chief as he surveys the scene. He sees Remy's lifeless body on the ground surrounded by over twenty policemen. "But I just... he... I don't understand."  
As the Chief is speaking three figures start heading toward the scene from the same direction in which he had come. One is a tall man with shoulder length dark hair and rather sharp facial features. Another is an average sized pretty blonde woman who looks very confused by where she is being taken. The third person...  
"REMY!"  
Jubilee gets up and begins to run towards him, but she stops and looks at him on the ground. She does a double take between both Remy LeBeaus.  
  
Betsy can see that Remy looks as confused by what he is seeing as Jubilee is.  
Just then they hear Remy laugh. But it isn't the Remy who Betsy is looking at, it's the dead Remy.  
"What is going on here?" says the Chief looking rather distraught.  
As he is saying this everyone around gasps as they see the dead Remy transform and take on the appearance of a pretty beaten up girl with skunk-like hair and a green and yellow bodysuit. She doesn't seem to feel as bad as she looks. The real Remy stares at her with astonishment. He doesn't know whether to laugh or be angry.  
Jubilee runs over to Rogue and starts hitting her, "That WASN'T funny!!!"  
Wolverine is laughing by this point because he had picked up Rogue's scent a little earlier, so he knew that it was her. Betsy is still smirking because she had read Rogue's psyche coming from Remy's body and she knows that bullets all but bruise Rogue.  
"Can someone pleeeaaaassseee tell me what going on?" pleads Bobby Drake with his still baffled look on his face.  
Everyone, including all of the officers, agree with this statement. 


	12. The Midnight Star

WANTED Chapter 12  
  
Things had been cleared up back at the crime scene and the X-Men now find themselves at the Midnight Star Club enjoying drinks. Psylocke had "convinced" the bouncer that Jubilee was over twenty-one.  
"So," says Bobby between laughs, "You played dead because you didn't know what to do!? That's not like you, Rogue!"  
"Well, Ah HAD other plans, but Mystique's psyche was screwin' up mah own and neither one of 'em could make up their minds. Ah was lost!" Rogue says as she takes another sip from her Shirley Temple, "Ah'm glad ya showed up, Sugah, or else they woulda gotten close enough ta realize that ah wasn't dead."  
Remy is laughing, but it's forced. He still doesn't like how Rogue had put herself into danger like that. Especially not when he was in the process of solving the problem. He had located Bella Donna, and she was alive and well. He called his brother, learned that he had never talked to him, and the three of them went down to the police station (his brother was more than happy to find a way to mess with the Assassins Guild). Bella Donna, of course, had no idea what she was doing for the most part. But he had to admit that he never would've found out everything if the X-Men hadn't come.  
"It's a good thing you knew where Bella Donna was staying so that you could prove she was alive," says Betsy.  
Bishop is sitting in silence during the conversation. He is a little annoyed by the fact that he hadn't really done much to help out.  
"Awww... perk up Bish'! You did keep me from getting dragged to jail, didn't ya!" says Bobby, trying to cheer Bishop up a bit.  
"Bets, I gotta hand it to ya. If you weren't there to make the police believe the story about a blue skinned shape shifter who ran the whole operation by herself we would've been in there for hours. And I wouldn't a liked that!" groans Logan as he takes another gulp of beer.  
"Hey, what happened to her anyway?" asks Rogue curiously.  
"Oh, yes... I saw her behind all of you when you were surround by the police. She saw 'Remy' get shot, so I imagine she thought that he was dead. She turned into a bird and flew away before we found out that it was Rogue the whole time."  
Rogue looks pleased with this. She isn't happy that Mystique got away, but she is happy that she won't have to hear from her again. That is, until she realizes that Remy is alive.  
"Well, I hate to be a party pooper, but I think I'm going to turn in now," says Betsy.  
"I'll go with ya," replies Bobby, "coming Bish'?"  
Bishop gets up and follows them. He doesn't really have anything to say, so he would just prefer to go back to the hotel.  
"I'll join you later," says Wolverine.  
"ME TOO!" shouts Jubilee with a big grin on her face.  
"Oh no ya won't, kid," replies Wolverine as her steers her toward the rest of the team, "It's past your bedtime anyway."  
"Hey! No fair!"  
Jubilee is dragged back to the hotel.  
"Well, kids," Wolverine directs this at Rogue and Remy, "I'll leave you two alone now. There are still a few places that I want to check out before we leave. Here, take this," and he hands money to them for the drinks, "See ya later."  
Wolverine smiles (as much as he can smile) and exits the club.  
Rogue and Gambit just sit there in silence for a while. Neither one really knows what to say.  
"So," Gambit finally blurts out, "uh, Rogue, I guess I'm glad dat your here."  
"You guess?" she smiles.  
"Yeah, well, ye know..."  
"Yeah, maybe ah do..."  
There is another silence.  
"I was worried t'night, Rogue. When I saw dat it was you on de ground I t'ought ye were hurt. But, I guess it's a good t'ing dat ye followed me and dat the rest of 'em followed you."  
"If ah'm not mistaken, Remy LeBeau, I'd think that you were tryin' to compliment me. Well, in a really akward sort of way."  
"Yeah, maybe."  
Another silence.  
"Rogue?"  
"Hmmm...?"  
"I... never mind"  
"What do ya mean 'never mind', Remy, ya can't set something up and not follow through with it! Ya know! I can't believe mahself sometimes. Here I all followed ya down here and now ya can't even talk ta me like a human bein'!"  
Remy quickly grabs her hands and then embraces her.  
"I'm sorry, Rogue. Ye know I'm not good at dis kinda stuff."  
"Yeah, well..." Rogue can't finish because she knows that he means well. She has known this from when they first met. He may act like an emotionless pig sometimes, but she knows that there is something more buried deep inside. She saw it when she absorbed his psyche. She can even see it now in her eyes. Just then she hears a strangely familiar voice in her head...  
"Well, go on then, kiss him. Oh for bloody sake Rogue, trust me!"  
Without thinking she grabs Remy faces and pulls him in to kiss her. He is shocked at first, but then he gives in. This is what he has wanted to so long. Before they were ready for it, Rogue's powers kicked in and they had to release.  
  
  
  
"BETSY! C'mon!"  
Betsy hears Bobby but is not pleased with the way he yelled at her.  
"You bloody git! You ruined my concentration!"  
"Concentration on what!?" Bobby looks very confused.  
Just then Rogue and Gambit come out of the club arm in arm.  
"I t'hought ya left?" Gambit says as he surveys Betsy and Bobby.  
"I, uh... forgot something," Betsy quickly replies.  
"I din' see anyt'ing."  
"Oh, just get off it already!" Betsy shouts, which surprises Remy.  
"Betsy?"  
"Yes, Rogue?"  
"Thank you"  
Rogue smiles and Betsy returns the smile.  
"Ah, ah... didn't know ya could do that..."  
"Well, yes, but... don't go requesting me to do again because it's sort of uncomfortable for me, if you catch what I'm saying."  
Rogue understands. She can imagine that even though Betsy was doing her a favor she had to feel as though she was intruding.  
"I just thought you deserved something for your... stupidity earlier today."  
Betsy and Rogue laugh, but Bobby and Remy look clearly confused.  
"Come on" says Rogue as she tugs on Remy's arm, "Ah'm sure that Mama is worried sick over you."  
She smiles at Remy and they walk away arm in arm.  
"You didn't really forget anything, did you?"  
"Oh, geez Bobby, you can be pretty slow sometimes, you know that?"  
Betsy smiles at him and he doesn't even realize what she means by that until he is back in his hotel room.  
  
THE END. 


End file.
